Vehicle wheel cover



Jan; 27, 1948. G. A. LYON VEHICLE WHEEL COVER Filed se i. 4, 1945 21 FE m [57F 'GE'OE 6E flLsEer Z ro/v Patented Jan. 27, 1948 UN ITED PATEN OFF] CE ;2,435,045 VEHIGEEWHEEL COVER .Geor ge.-Albert-.-Lyon, Allenhurst NnJ.

Application September 4, 1'945,"Serial No.614;417

4 Claims. Lil

lllhis. invention relates to awheel structure and more ;;partiou-larly :to a'novel inultipart cover assemhlyrfor anlautomobile wheel.

An object rot this inventionis touprovide atslmpic but highly ornamental cover =t-assemblyronan outer side-.of an .automobile wheel.

Another :object of thisfinvention is :to' provide amniotic-structure. for :detachably interconnecting concentric members 56i a n mlfltipart i'cover assembly.

.-A.fu1'ther object Lof this inventionlis' to zso zinterrelaterconcentric partsof a cover assembly that they will cooperate to :provide a highly pleasingtand:efiective ornamental appearance.

In accordance with the general-features of this inventionthere isiprovided. in a'coverstructure I for a wheel including 2a atire rim "and a vload- =bearing .body:part having cover retaining "means, a..multipart cover assembly including concentric radially outer-and inner circularneste'd members, the outermost sci which comprises an annulus made of resiliently .defiectable :formesustaining plastic and thezinnermost or centre :of which comprises a circular hubrcap ofimuchim'ore :rigid materialtandgprovided with *anunderturned edge .cooperable-with theretai-ning meanszon'th'e whteel body part.

A stilliurtherieature of-the invention relates to theiprovisionin the aforesaid cover assembly of annular retaining ring at the junction of themembers tightlyinested over an inclined rear margin of the central circular or hub cap r'memher and interlocked with an inner edge of the outer-annular member-to retainthesame on the central member whereby a unitary structure is provided.

Other objectsand features of this invention will more fullyappe'ar from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates asingleembodimentthereof and in which .Figurel is a side view of an automobile wheel and cover assembly having the featuresxof this invention and Figure .2. is :amenlarged fragmentary cross sectiona1-view .taken- :on's'substantially the linen-11 or EigureLlooki-ng. in the direction indicated by the arrows. showing the "manner in which-tiny novel imilltipart 'icoizer -'assembly cooperates with the rim and body parts of the wheel.

As shown ontheLdrawlng:

} .The. reference. character .9 .designatesgeneral-ly "an automobile pneumatic tube and I tire Jmounted in the usual way upon a multi-flange drop center type of tireirim .10. 'This tirerim'is'of a conventional construction and is .formed so that the valveistem of the tire and tube assembly 9 "may project through a flange thereof.

Theitirerim part II] of the wheel is supported in the usual way upon a body or load-bearing part I I, which comprises a dished metallic stampinc. This zbodyxpart ii I. includes an axially :outwardly bulged nose portion l2, terminating in a centrally depressed flange l3, which in merges in :9, :radially extending bolt-on 'fiang'e' l 4. Thebolt-ionfiangel'd is adapted to besecured in the .usual way by bolts or cap screws (not-shown) toia part on an axle. :In addition, this flange-1'4 is provided with the .usual hub capzretainin'g spring clips 15 which may be otany suitable number, such, ifxor example, as three "to ifiye.

Each cof these "clips" is :of the :so-called ""-inverted type, which iis'now well known in the industry.

The goose-ineck end o'fthe clip 1 5 is provided with "an inclined rangular free extremity t6, over whichtan edgebfa cover part is adapted :to be cammedfor the purpose of detacha'bly retaining the cover p'art on the wheel in cocperation'with the nose l2ofthe body part 1' l.

"cooperablewith the aforesaid wheelxisrarmulti part cover assembly designated gen'erally byzth'e reference character 20 "and embracing the features io'fsthis invention. "This assembly 2011)- cludes an oluter "annularplastic ringsl'lja central metallic hub cap 22 and an intermediate metallic-connecting ring -2 3.

The convex-concave ring 2 l has anaa'perture .24 through which an outer extremity pfI the valve stem-Biotin project in 'ordertoafiord access to the valve stem' without removing the "cover.

The souter edge of the rln'g part .JfZI issIightly turned at 2'5 andisuadapt'ed to bear against an outer edge of the rim part l0 in' clo'se proximity to :aniouter side wall of the tire. .It Willbe perceived'thatthesring zl is ofsuch radial depthan'd curvaturethat, in use, it will appear 'toconstitute asymmetric continuation ofthe outer side wall of the tire 9. This is very desirable .in tha't it afiords the illusion of the tire 'appe'arin'g to extend clear down to'the body "part I L llM'oreover,thi's illusionary appearance may be'accentuated by giving the ring 2| a white external finish or bymakingxit of white plastic, inwhich event it'will appear to constitute a'white side wall part or portion :of the tire 9.

The radially .inner margin-of the ring "2| is turned axially outwardly at 25 toward "anputer portien of .lthe Ehub' cap "part 22.

.nwm be'notedthat the divergent or turned portlonlfifi rot'the ring .2 I extends behind the annular metal ring or bead 23, which bead has-an outer turned edge 2'! bottomed in and 'againstthe turned portion of the ring 2|. In addition, this ring .231has .itssiracllally'inner margin iunderturned to fformla turned :edge 2'! i-adapted to "overlap the :extreme inner edge 28 of the ring .21 :so as to he interlocked therewith.

The turned edge .21 o'fthe intermediate trlng 23"is adapted to :be "bottomed on :the inclined o'r tapered -rear flange 21 of the hub cap 22 behind :an annularshoulder 30 formed in the pcripheraltmarginsofthe hub cap part h daclined or tapered portion 29 of the hub cap terminates in a curved rear flange 3| shaped to fit tightly against the nose portion l2 of the body part H. In addition, this flange 3i terminates in a slightly turned edge 32 adapted to be cammed over and behind the angular free extremities [6 of the spring clips l for retention of the cover assembly on the wheel.

I preferably make the outer annular part or ring 2 of a synthetic plastic material, such, for example, as ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate or vinyl resins. While this part is preferably made of a synthetic plastic which is deflectable without permanent deformation, it is, of course, to be understood that it may be made of other material suitable for the desired ultimate ornamental efiect. I

Both of the parts 23 and 22 may be made from sheet metal. I preferably contemplate making the hollow annular intermediate bead 23 from stainless steel and it should be noted that this bead lends itself to manufacture on a large production scale on a rolling machine. As distinguished therefrom the metal hub cap part 22 may be fabricated from sheet stock through the use of suitable press and die equipment.

Many different pleasing color contrasts are possible with the three-part assembly above described. One very desirable color effect may be attached if the ring 2| is made of white plastic or the intermediate head 23 of a lustrous finish and the central hub cap part 22 of a dark color finish. For illustration, this central hub cap part 22 may be given a black finish or it may be finished to match the color on the body of the vehicle. Also, as is customary, the central portion of the hub cap 22 may carry the medallion or emblem of the vehicle (not shown).

In the assembly of the cover structure, the inner turned margin 26 of the plastic outer ring 2| isfirst interlocked with the annular bead 23 and then the bead with the plastic thereon is applied from the rear side of the hub cap 22 to the inclined flange 29 until the turned inner edge 21 of the bead 23 is bottomed against the shoulder 3!! of the hub cap.

Thereafter, this assembly-20 may be applied in the usual way to the outer side of the wheel by pressing it axially home against the body part l2 in which position the clips IE will wedgingly force the edge 32 of the hub cap against the turned flange l3 of the body part. In this manner, the outer-ring 2| may be tightly held in stressed engagement with the body part [2 and the outer edge of the rim part It].

To remove the cover all that is necessaryfor the operator to do is to slightly deflect the outer margin of the plastic ring 2! and to insert a screw driver under the turned inner margin of the ring behind the turned edge 21 of the reinforcing metal bead 23. This bead will resist deformation of the plastic and enable springing of the cover assembly oil of the retaining spring clips.

I I claim as my invention:

- 1. In a cover structure for a wheel including a tire rim and a load bearing body part having cover retaining means, a multipart cover assembly including concentric radially outer and inner nested members, said outer member comprising an annulus made of resiliently deflectable formsustaining plastic and said central member comprising a circular hub cap of much more rigid material and provided with an underturned edge cooperable with said retaining means and an annular reinforcing ring at the junction of said members tightly nested over an inclined margin of said central member and interlocked with an inner edge of said outer member. 1

2. In a cover structure for a wheel including a tire rim and a load bearing body part having cover retaining means, a multipart cover assembly including concentric radially outer and inner nested members, said outer member comprising an annulus made of resiliently deflectable formsustaining plastic and said central member comprising a, circular hub cap of much more rigid material and provided with an underturned edge cooperable with said retaining means and an annular reinforcing ring at the junction of said members tightly nested over an inclined margin of said central member and interlocked with an inner edge of said outer member, said ring comprising a hollow metal bead at the outer side of the cover with its margins underturned, the outermost of which is bottomed on the central member and the inner of which receives the radially inner edge of the outer member.

3. In a cover structure for a wheel including a tire rim and a load bearing body part having cover retaining means; a, multipart cover assembly including concentric radially outer and inner nested members, said outer member comprising an annulus made of resiliently deflectable formsustaining plastic and said central member comprising a circular hub cap of much more rigid material and provided with an underturned edge cooperable with said retaining means and an annular reinforcing ring at the junction of said members tightly nested over an inclined margin of said central member and interlocked with an inner edge of said outer member, both of said cover members including a turned portion positioned to bottom on spaced portions of said body part when said central member is in retained cooperation with said retaining means. i

4. In a cover structure for a wheel including a tire rim and a, load bearing body part having cover retaining means, a multipart cover assembly including concentric radially outer and inner nested members, said outer member comprising an annulus made of resiliently deflectable form'- sustaining plastic and said central member comprising a circular hub cap of much more rigid material and provided with an underturned edge cooperable with said retaining means and an annular reinforcing ring at the junction of said members tightly nested over an inclined margin of said central member and interlocked with an inner edge of said outer member, both of said cover members including a turned portion positioned to bottom on spaced portions of said body part when said central member is in re tained cooperation with said retaining means and said outer member having a turned edge arranged to bear against an edge of the tire rim in close proximity to a tire carried thereon. GEORGE ALBERT LYON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record'in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,948,273 Lyon Feb. 20, 1934 1,965,529 Lyon July 3,1934 2,212,037 Lyon Aug. 20,1940 

